Elixir for inducing high-speed settlement of precipitates

ABSTRACT

An elixir to aid in the coagulation and flocculation of metal precipitates in wastewater, and to aid in their settling out of the wastewater solution, comprising: 1) a first anionic polymer with a high molecular weight and a high charge density, 2) a second anionic polymer with a high molecular weight, 3) a liquid emulsion anionic flocculant with a high molecular weight and a high charge density, and 4) water.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] This invention pertains to the field of removing contaminants from a liquid, including, more specifically, removing heavy metals from industrial wastewater.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Many industrial processes produce wastewater streams that are laden with contaminants. These industrial processes include, among others, electroplating, galvanizing, anodizing, chelating, metal finishing, printed circuit board (PCB) manufacturing, semiconductor, magnetic disk manufacturing, mining operations, photo processing, fungicide manufacturing, food preparation, paper and pulp, textile, and oil refining. The wastewater streams of these different processes may contain any number of contaminants, including heavy metals, organic wastes, and inorganic wastes. In regard to heavy metal contaminants, they generally include, but are not limited to, metals such as copper, iron, gold, lead, nickel, silver, tin, zinc, chromium, cadmium, and arsenic.

[0003] The presence of these metals in wastewater causes the wastewater to be highly toxic. They can make the wastewater corrosive, inflammable, and even explosive. Due to the toxicity of metal laden wastewater, it poses a real danger of damaging wastewater collection systems, such as publicly owned treatment works (POTW), and of harming the environment.

[0004] In order to address the risks that metal laden wastewater presents, strict regulations have been imposed on plants regarding their wastewater discharges. Various agencies currently set maximum limits on the quantity of metals that plants may discharge into their waste streams. Where a plant discharges its wastewater to a POTW, these maximum limits are set either by the POTW itself, or by a municipal agency. And where a plant is discharging its wastewater directly to the environment, the maximum limits are typically set by state regulatory agencies and/or the Environmental Protection Agency.

[0005] Because of this need to minimize the quantity of metals discharged, plants treat their wastewater streams to remove the majority of the metals present. Since each metal has an optimum pH at which it will precipitate out of wastewater, plants have conventionally removed these metals individually using hydroxide precipitation over a series of pH adjustments, or by segregating waste streams that contain different metals and treating them individually. At each pH adjustment, at least one metal present in the wastewater will react with the treatment chemicals that have been added and will precipitate out of the wastewater. The metal precipitates must also be given a sufficient amount of time to settle out. The wastewater is then moved to another tank for the next pH adjustment. The wastewater must be moved to a new tank because once the pH level is changed, the metal that was just removed will have a tendency to re-dissolve back into solution.

[0006] For example, metals such as iron precipitate out of solution at lower pH levels, while metals such as nickel and cadmium precipitate out at higher pH levels. At a lower pH level, iron will precipitate out of solution, but if the pH level is then increased in order to remove other metals, the iron will dissolve back into solution. To solve this problem the wastewater is typically moved to a new treatment tank after a pH adjustment, leaving behind the metal that just precipitated out.

[0007] One drawback of known treatment processes is the length of time the precipitation of metals normally takes. Known methods chemically treat each metal separately, which requires many pH adjustments. In addition, the use of existing coagulants in known systems causes the metals to settle out slowly. Furthermore, known systems typically require a final pH adjustment prior to discharge. Thus the end result of all of these potential bottlenecks is that the entire operation may take anywhere from several hours to several days to complete.

[0008] Another drawback of known treatment systems is that when a plant generates several waste streams that each contain different metals, the waste streams are treated separately due to the problems involved in treating wastewater with multiple metals. This either forces a plant to implement more than one wastewater treatment system, or forces a plant to treat its waste streams one at a time. These limited options cause the plant to incur additional tire and expense to treat all of its wastewater.

[0009] The fact that these processes can also be labor-intensive adds another source of time consumption. For example, plant operators often have to manually determine pH levels and manually add acid or base to adjust the pH levels, especially when spikes in metal concentrations occur. In addition, the chemicals that are added to the wastewater to precipitate out the metals can be in either solid or liquid form. This makes the addition of these chemicals into treatment tanks a more time-consuming process because operators typically add the solid chemicals manually, or have to initially mix the solid chemicals into clean water prior to adding it into the wastewater.

[0010] Another drawback to known systems is the fact that a plant's treatment process normally has to be tailored to the specific composition of that individual plant's wastewater so that it effectively removes the metals present. Generally, plants cannot simply implement an “off-the-shelf” process for treating their wastewater. Instead, plants typically have to design a treatment process around their effluent streams. This means that in the event of a system upset, for example higher levels of a metal or the introduction of a new metal in the wastewater, the treatment process will typically be less effective or ineffective altogether. The unfortunate result of this may be an unlawful discharge of metals. Thus, plants must continuously monitor the composition of their wastewater streams and modify the treatment processes and the chemicals they use to effectively treat their wastewater.

[0011] Other drawbacks of known systems relate to flocculation and coagulation when known flocculants and coagulants are mixed into the wastewater. Coagulation is the process of combining the suspended metal solids, typically in the form of colloids or flocs, into larger and heavier particles. These larger particles become too heavy to remain suspended in the wastewater and drop to the bottom of the solution. A slightly different process that has similar results is flocculation, which is the process of physically trapping and/or linking the flocs together, typically through the use of a polymer. In known systems, one drawback is that most polymers are supplied in powder form, requiring the users to mix the powder into water prior to adding it into the wastewater. This is labor-intensive and time consuming process. Another drawback is that when flocculants are mixed into the wastewater, their flocculation effects are retarded by the mixing blades which tend to break-up the flocs that form. This results in sludge which is difficult to remove from the wastewater and from filters. In addition, the difficulty of removing sludge from filters is exacerbated by the fact that often, due to the use of high quantities of lime, the sludge is slimy and clings to filters, resulting in a high filter replacement rate.

[0012] Accordingly, there is a need for a process to remove metals from wastewater that is less time consuming and does not need to be specifically tailored for the wastewater composition of each plant in which it is used, and that also addresses the other drawbacks of known systems that were mentioned above.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0013] The present invention is a liquid chemical formulation that addresses some of the problems with known systems mentioned herein. Specifically, the elixir of the present invention is a highly active anionic polymer that preferably comprises: 1) a first anionic polymer with a high molecular weight and a high charge density, 2) a second anionic polymer with a high molecular weight and a high charge density, 3) a liquid emulsion anionic flocculant with a high molecular weight and a high charge density, and 4) water.

[0014] The elixir of the present invention causes a number of varying reactions to occur in wastewater that ultimately result in the removal of heavy metals. The main function of the elixir is to aid in the coagulation and flocculation of metal precipitates in wastewater, and in the settling out of metal precipitates from the wastewater solution. The elixir accomplishes this by bonding to the precipitated metals and aggregating them into larger particles that are too large to remain suspended in solution. The elixir also strengthens the larger flocculated particles to minimize floc break-up.

[0015] It is important to note that other reactions in the wastewater may also occur due to the elixir of the present invention, and the reactions outlined herein should be construed as exemplary and not as being the only reactions that occur. Furthermore, although this specification addresses the removal of metals from wastewater, the elixir of the present invention-may also be used to remove other contaminants, including organic and inorganic contaminants.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0016] The elixir of the present invention preferably comprises a mixture of three different polymeric coagulants, all of which are preferably added to a relatively large quantity of water. The first polymeric coagulant preferably comprises an anionic polymer with a high molecular weight and high charge density. For example, a mixture of sodium polyacrylate acrylamide with other materials, such as sodium carbonate, may be used. In a presently preferred embodiment, the commercially available chemical FLOCULITE 600, produced by DuBois Chemicals of Cincinnati, Ohio, is used in the formulation of the elixir.

[0017] The second polymeric coagulant preferably also comprises an anionic polymer with a high molecular weight and high charge density. For example, a mixture of sodium polyacrylate acrylamide with other materials, such as sodium chloride, may be used. In a presently preferred embodiment, this ingredient is provided by the commercially available chemical FLOCULITE 550, produced and sold by DuBois Chemicals of Cincinnati, Ohio.

[0018] And the third polymeric coagulant is preferably a liquid emulsion anionic polymer with a high molecular weight and high charge density. For example, a mixture of an anionic polyacrylamide polymer with other materials, such as petroleum distillates and ammonium sulfate, may be used. In a presently preferred embodiment, the commercially available chemical FLOCULITE 260, produced by DuBois Chemicals of Cincinnati, Ohio, is used.

[0019] The elixir tends to aid in the flocculation and coagulation of the suspended solids in several ways. The compounds in the fourth elixir react with the suspended metal precipitates to form larger particles, much like conventional flocculants and coagulants do. However, the elixir of the present invention is preferably added to wastewater after other flocculants and/or coagulants are added because the main function of the elixir is to bond with the large flocculated and coagulated particles created by other flocculants and coagulants, and to then combine them into even larger masses of sludge. This effect tends to dramatically increase the size and weight of the sludge and tends to cause the sludge to rapidly settle out of the water. The time required for settlement of the precipitated metals may be reduced to under one minute by the process of the elixir of the present invention. This action by the elixir also tends to minimize floc break-up, which is sometimes caused by mixer blades when the flocculants and coagulants are stirred into the wastewater.

[0020] The elixir of the present invention is preferably produced by a batch process. The following is a preferred description of the method for manufacturing a forty-five gallon batch of the elixir. The quantities given may be scaled up or down depending on the needs of a user.

[0021] The manufacturing process preferably takes place in a forty-five gallon (204.57 liter) mixing tank with mechanical mixers. The first step is to fill the mixing tank with approximately ten gallons of warm water. Next, the mixers are turned on at a slow rate.

[0022] The first ingredient, FLOCULITE 600, is then mixed into the water. The FLOCULITE 600 is preferably added slowly, preferably by drops. Preferably, approximately 3105 grams of FLOCULITE 600 is added. The resulting solution is mixed until the FLOCULITE 600 is completely dispersed in the water.

[0023] Next the second ingredient, FLOCULITE 550, is added while continuing to run the mixers. FLOCULITE 550 is preferably added slowly, again preferably by drops. Preferably, approximately 2900.8 grams of FLOCULITE 550 is added. After the FLOCULITE 550 has been added, the solution is preferably mixed until the FLOCULITE 550 is dispersed.

[0024] The third ingredient, FLOCULITE 260, is added next. As with the other ingredients, it is preferably added slowly, preferably by drops. Preferably, approximately 0.341 liters of FLOCULITE 260 is added. After adding the FLOCULITE 260, the solution is mixed until the FLOCULITE 260 is dispersed. After this mixing period, the speed of the mixer is preferably reduced.

[0025] Finally, water is added to bring the volume of the solution to forty-five gallons, or 204.57 liters. Upon completion of this process, one liter of the elixir of the present invention will generally comprise approximately 15.18 g of FLOCULITE 600, approximately 14.18 g of FLOCULITE 550, and approximately 1.67 ml of FLOCULITE 260. Preferably, the ratio of FLOCULITE 600:FLOCULITE 550:FLOCULITE 260 should be approximately 5 to 15 grams: 5 to 15 grams: 0.01 to 2.0 milliliters.

[0026] It will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art of wastewater treatment that elixirs prepared simply by substituting solutions that are chemically similar to FLOCULITE 600, FLOCULITE 550, or FLOCULITE 260 into the present invention will still be encompassed within the scope of the claims. Accordingly, the above description should be construed as illustrative, and not in a limiting sense, the scope of the invention being defined by the following claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An elixir, consisting essentially of: a first anionic polymer with a high molecular weight and a high charge density; a second anionic polymer with a high molecular weight and a high charge density; and a liquid emulsion anionic flocculant with a high molecular weight and a high charge density.
 2. The elixir of claim 1, wherein the first anionic polymer with a high molecular weight and a high charge density comprises FLOCULITE
 600. 3. The elixir of claim 1, wherein the second anionic polymer with a high molecular weight and a high charge density comprises FLOCULITE
 550. 4. The elixir of claim 1, wherein the liquid emulsion anionic flocculant with a high molecular weight and a high charge density comprises FLOCULITE
 260. 5. The elixir of claim 1, wherein five grams to fifteen grams of the first anionic polymer are added for every one milliliter of the liquid emulsion anionic flocculant that is added.
 6. The elixir of claim 1, wherein five grams to fifteen grams of the second anionic polymer are added for every one milliliter of the liquid emulsion anionic flocculant that is added.
 7. The elixir of claim 1, further comprising water.
 8. A method of manufacturing the elixir of claim 1, comprising: adding water to a mixing tank; mixing the first anionic polymer into the water; mixing the second anionic polymer into the water; and mixing the liquid emulsion anionic flocculant into the water. 